Alma 60

Alma 59:13

13 And it came to pass that Moroni was angry with the government, because of their indifference concerning the freedom of their country.

Alma 60:1

1 And it came to pass that he wrote again to the governor of the land, who was Pahoran, and these are the words which he wrote, saying: Behold, I direct mine epistle to Pahoran, in the city of Zarahemla, who is the chief judge and the governor over the land, and also to all those who have been chosen by this people to govern and manage the affairs of this war.

Moroni did not receive the desired response from the first letter sent to Pahoran, and so he sends another. Mormon did not include the first letter, but he does include this one that expresses a greater frustration. The letter begins quite formally by not only addressing Pahoran, but by addressing Pahoran’s position. The letter then expands to any other who might be of assistance in the request.

Textual: Verse 13 of chapter 59 is included because it rightly forms the beginning of this unit in Mormon’s original chapter. Mormon is preparing to insert a letter from Moroni, and this is the introductory material to that insertion. Mormon does not change chapters with this particular insertion because it is part of a chapter dealing with Moroni’s actions, and it requires the understanding of the previous effort to assist Helaman to be correctly understood.

Alma 60:2

2 For behold, I have somewhat to say unto them by the way of condemnation; for behold, ye yourselves know that ye have been appointed to gather together men, and arm them with swords, and with cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war of every kind, and send forth against the Lamanites, in whatsoever parts they should come into our land.

Social: Moroni’s purpose in writing is to remind Pahoran that they have been derelict in a duty. For our purposes, the interesting point is what they were to do. Pahoran is to gather together and arm the men. This reminds us that there is not a standing army. Even though the people who are to be recruited may have some defensive weapons, and certainly hunting weapons, there will be essential weapons of war that they do not have. Pahoran is to provide not only the men, but the weaponry.

In Mesoamerican warfare, the nature of the offensive weapons required frequent repair or replacement (Hassig 1988, p. 104). Even during battles the obsidian blades would be subject to shattering, and when replacement troops entered the front line, the relieved men could return to a location where they might repair their weapons. All of this tells us that it is quite important for Pahoran to arm the men coming in to the field. Even with large numbers of casualties, there was no guarantee that there would be large numbers of effective weapons available at the front.

Alma 60:3

3 And now behold, I say unto you that myself, and also my men, and also Helaman and his men, have suffered exceedingly great sufferings; yea, even hunger, thirst, and fatigue, and all manner of afflictions of every kind.

Alma 60:4

4 But behold, were this all we had suffered we would not murmur nor complain.

Alma 60:5

5 But behold, great has been the slaughter among our people; yea, thousands have fallen by the sword, while it might have otherwise been if ye had rendered unto our armies sufficient strength and succor for them. Yea, great has been your neglect towards us.

Moroni writes on behalf of Helaman, but notes that his own army is also suffering. The critical function of the heartland was to provision the army, and they were not fulfilling that function. Moroni terms this “neglect.” He surely had stronger things in mind, perhaps even an accusation of treason.

Alma 60:6

6 And now behold, we desire to know the cause of this exceedingly great neglect; yea, we desire to know the cause of your thoughtless state.

Alma 60:7

7 Can you think to sit upon your thrones in a state of thoughtless stupor, while your enemies are spreading the work of death around you? Yea, while they are murdering thousands of your brethren—

Moroni is clearly unhappy, but the nature of his accusation requires some understanding. Other than the obvious lack of support, why would he accuse Pahoran of sitting on a throne in a thoughtless stupor? One of the hallmarks of the Lamanite social structure was the hierarchical separation of the elite from the rest of society. That social distance could create situations in which the intents of the rulers were far from those of the people, and the might be little understanding of the real world for those who were comfortably housed in palaces. This is directly contrary to the Nephite egalitarian ideal. Moroni is suggesting that even Pahoran is becoming “Lamanite” in his approach to government. This is a stronger accusation that even the language displays.

Social: It is not just Pahoran who sits on a throne. Moroni writes to a group of people, and each sits on their “throne.” Mesoamericans did not have the elaborate thrones of Western Europe. Indeed, they did not typically have chairs. Nevertheless, they understood the basic principle of the throne, which is that the person of importance should be raised to a higher position that those around them. This was accomplished in two ways. One was the placement of the ruler on a raised dias. That platform itself raised the rule above his subjects. Such a dias is visible on various Maya painted pots. In addition to the dias, there was a low chair that belonged to the ruler. Among the Aztecss, this low chair was called the icpalli, and is frequently translated as “throne.” The difference is that this is an elite seating arrangement, not one that is reserved for the king or the ultimate ruler. Particularly in the Nephite rule of judges, there would be several judges who would be in authority, a position that could be represented by sitting on their higher location – or their “throne.” Moroni’s suggestion that there were multiple leaders sitting on “thrones” is another echo of a Mesoamerican cultural reality.

Alma 60:8

8 Yea, even they who have looked up to you for protection, yea, have placed you in a situation that ye might have succored them, yea, ye might have sent armies unto them, to have strengthened them, and have saved thousands of them from falling by the sword.

Moroni reminds Pahoran of his ultimate responsibility to the people. Even though Pahoran has received his position through inheritance, there is still the understanding that he rules through the sufferance of the voice of the people. Thus Pahoran is beholding to the people. Ultimately, they are the ones who keep in him power, and Moroni is reminding him that he owes them proper support.

Alma 60:9

9 But behold, this is not all—ye have withheld your provisions from them, insomuch that many have fought and bled out their lives because of their great desires which they had for the welfare of this people; yea, and this they have done when they were about to perish with hunger, because of your exceedingly great neglect towards them.

Alma 60:10

10 And now, my beloved brethren—for ye ought to be beloved; yea, and ye ought to have stirred yourselves more diligently for the welfare and the freedom of this people; but behold, ye have neglected them insomuch that the blood of thousands shall come upon your heads for vengeance; yea, for known unto God were all their cries, and all their sufferings—

The central government has reneged on their most important duty, the support of those who are fighting for the preservation of that government and nation. Moroni directly accuses Pahoran of a crime against his people and against God. Moroni commends the blood of the slain as a witness against Pahoran and the other judges, who Moroni accuses of willingly withholding needed support.

Alma 60:11

11 Behold, could ye suppose that ye could sit upon your thrones, and because of the exceeding goodness of God ye could do nothing and he would deliver you? Behold, if ye have supposed this ye have supposed in vain.

Moroni cannot imagine what might cause these judges to withhold the rightful support of the armies in the field. He suggests that perhaps they have decided that God will protect them. While Moroni is himself a man of great faith, he understands that God still requires the active participation of his people. God may assist us, strengthen us, and preserve us at times, but he does expect that we shall also act in our best interests. When the Lamanites fell on the people of Ammon (then called the Anti-Nephi-Lehies) many were killed. They were humbly fulfilling a sacred oath with tremendous faith, yet many were killed. God works with us, not instead of us.

Alma 60:12

12 Do ye suppose that, because so many of your brethren have been killed it is because of their wickedness? I say unto you, if ye have supposed this ye have supposed in vain; for I say unto you, there are many who have fallen by the sword; and behold it is to your condemnation;

Alma 60:13

13 For the Lord suffereth the righteous to be slain that his justice and judgment may come upon the wicked; therefore ye need not suppose that the righteous are lost because they are slain; but behold, they do enter into the rest of the Lord their God.

Moroni makes his accusation clear. Even though God is on their side, and even though the Nephite foundational promise was that they would be preserved through faithfulness, this does not mean that they have died because they were unrighteous. The promise of God is general for the people, not specific to the person. The people will be preserved, but many righteous may die. Moroni’s conclusion here stands in interesting contrast to Mormon’s synopsis of Moroni’s position after the fall of Nephihah:

Alma 59:11

11 And now, when Moroni saw that the city of Nephihah was lost he was exceedingly sorrowful, and began to doubt, because of the wickedness of the people, whether they should not fall into the hands of their brethren.

Alma 59:12

12 Now this was the case with all his chief captains. They doubted and marveled also because of the wickedness of the people, and this because of the success of the Lamanites over them.

These two verses appear to come to the opposite conclusion to that Moroni expressed to Pahoran. Perhaps we are seeing the difference between the perspective of Mormon and that of Moroni. Mormon was living in a time when there was widespread apostasy, and he certainly imputed the ending of the Nephite polity to a lack of faith. He may have been imputing his understanding forward to Moroni’s time. Certainly the statement from Moroni is directly opposed to the idea that military losses must necessarily mean a lack of faith.

Alma 60:14

14 And now behold, I say unto you, I fear exceedingly that the judgments of God will come upon this people, because of their exceeding slothfulness, yea, even the slothfulness of our government, and their exceedingly great neglect towards their brethren, yea, towards those who have been slain.

Moroni suggests that God will avenge himself on the rulers who were defaulting in their duty. For Moroni, those who are fighting are not under the judgment of God because they are doing their duty. It is those who live in fine places and refuse to assist that are derelict.

Alma 60:15

15 For were it not for the wickedness which first commenced at our head, we could have withstood our enemies that they could have gained no power over us.

Alma 60:16

16 Yea, had it not been for the war which broke out among ourselves; yea, were it not for these king-men, who caused so much bloodshed among ourselves; yea, at the time we were contending among ourselves, if we had united our strength as we hitherto have done; yea, had it not been for the desire of power and authority which those king-men had over us; had they been true to the cause of our freedom, and united with us, and gone forth against our enemies, instead of taking up their swords against us, which was the cause of so much bloodshed among ourselves; yea, if we had gone forth against them in the strength of the Lord, we should have dispersed our enemies, for it would have been done, according to the fulfilling of his word.

There is wickedness among the Nephites, but it is in those who desire privileged positions. Moroni is not recounting this history because Pahoran has forgotten it, but because Moroni is accusing Pahoran of becoming one of those who hunger for power. The kingmen nearly weakened the Nephite nation at the beginning of this war, and Moroni is subtly suggesting that Pahoran’s actions are in the same category, and for the same reasons.

Alma 60:17

17 But behold, now the Lamanites are coming upon us, taking possession of our lands, and they are murdering our people with the sword, yea, our women and our children, and also carrying them away captive, causing them that they should suffer all manner of afflictions, and this because of the great wickedness of those who are seeking for power and authority, yea, even those king-men.

Alma 60:18

18 But why should I say much concerning this matter? For we know not but what ye yourselves are seeking for authority. We know not but what ye are also traitors to your country.

Moroni not comes out with the clear accusation that Pahoran is a traitor. Moroni is presuming that Pahoran has become influenced by the culture of power, and he has adopted the motivations of the kingmen. Those were traitors, and Moroni had received authority to execute such traitors. Perhaps there is a blunt threat in Moroni’s letter that if Pahoran proves to be such a traitor, Moroni might exercise his right to execute traitors?

Alma 60:19

19 Or is it that ye have neglected us because ye are in the heart of our country and ye are surrounded by security, that ye do not cause food to be sent unto us, and also men to strengthen our armies?

Moroni softens his accusation of treason with the possibility that Pahoran is so protected in Zarahemla that he has simply forgotten that others are dying to preserve that security. Clearly this is not what Moroni thinks, but he is attempting to soften the accusation of treason while leaving it on the table.

Alma 60:20

20 Have ye forgotten the commandments of the Lord your God? Yea, have ye forgotten the captivity of our fathers? Have ye forgotten the many times we have been delivered out of the hands of our enemies?

Alma 60:21

21 Or do ye suppose that the Lord will still deliver us, while we sit upon our thrones and do not make use of the means which the Lord has provided for us?

Verses 20 and 21 at first appear to be contradictory. In the first Moroni asks if Pahoran has forgotten times in the past that God has delivered the Nephites. Then in the next verse he chastises Pahoran for perhaps believing that God will deliver the Nephites. It appears that on the one hand Moroni is encouraging faith in a deliverance by God, and then declaring that it is evil to await a deliverance by God.

The clue to Moroni’s intent lies in the specifics of his questions in verse 20. it is not simply a request to remember deliverance, it is a call to remember their heritage. He begins by asking them to remember the commandments, then the captivity, then the deliverance. What Moroni is asking Pahoran to do is remember the entire history of the Nephite people, and what their values are. Since Moroni has accused Pahoran of adopting the hierarchical and “Lamanite” worldview, this is a call to return to the Nephite understanding. When Moroni asks if Pahoran is awaiting God’s deliverance while they sit on the thrones, he is asking if Pahoran’s shift in worldview is allowing him to distort the relationship of God to his people. Moroni is asking if he has developed a false belief that God would save them without effort.

Both of these verses are to be understood in the cultural context of Moroni’s accusation of treason. This is not a generic treason, but as very specific one. This is an accusation that Pahoran has given up that which is Nephite in spite of the God-founded history and preservation of this people, and adopted that which is Lamanite.

Alma 60:22

22 Yea, will ye sit in idleness while ye are surrounded with thousands of those, yea, and tens of thousands, who do also sit in idleness, while there are thousands round about in the borders of the land who are falling by the sword, yea, wounded and bleeding?

Alma 60:23

23 Do ye suppose that God will look upon you as guiltless while ye sit still and behold these things? Behold I say unto you, Nay. Now I would that ye should remember that God has said that the inward vessel shall be cleansed first, and then shall the outer vessel be cleansed also.

Social: There are very few hints about the nature of the continuance of the Mosaic law among the Nephites, but we may see one in verse 23. Moroni cites what must be a scripture, but one where the origin is not declared, and is not in any of our available scriptures. Moroni notes that: “God has said that the inward vessel shall be cleansed first, and then shall the outer vessel be cleansed also.” Certainly Moroni is using this citation in its metaphorical sense, but metaphors tend to be linked to real situations so that they may evoke meaning. In this case, it is possible that we are seeing Moroni’s metaphorical use of a purity law that was familiar to the Nephites.

The Law of Moses is highly concerned with purity, or cleanliness. The concept of cleanliness is different from the concept of sin in that it does not require repentance or a change of ways. It was similar to sin, however, because it still created a barrier between God and man. [i] The concept of sin was an uncleanliness of the spirit, where the purity laws dealt with physical things that were temporarily (and sometimes permanently) in a state of uncleanness that barred them from God and from a Godly society.

There are several laws in the Bible that deal with the cleanliness of vessels. Even though they are not the one that Moroni is citing, there are instructive for the type of verse to which he is likely referring:

Leviticus 11:32

32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.

Leviticus 15:12

12 And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

Leviticus 6:28

28 But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken: and if it be sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both scoured, and rinsed in water.

In each of these verses, there is a concern for the cleanliness of a vessel. Clearly the particular type of “clean” is ritual, and not physical. While none of these deal with the nature of the inside verses outside of the vessel, perhaps we can understand more of the context of Moroni’s statement by understanding the ritual problems that might occur with liquids moving between two vessels.

One of the controversies that was current during Christ’s time was the issue of whether or not a liquid poured from a clean vessel into an unclean vessel made the clean vessel unclean. The issue was the ability of liquids to conduct “uncleanness,” and in particular if that “uncleanness” could travel upstream through the liquid connecting to two vessels. Differing resolutions of this question came from the community of the Dead Sea Scrolls and from the Pharisees (Schiffman, Lawrence H. Reclaiming the Dead Sea Scrolls. Doubleday, 1995, p. 87).

Moroni’s metaphor appears to indicate a question about the restoration of cleanliness to a vessel. In this case, the rule was to wash the inside first, and then the outside, probably under the assumption that it was whatever had been contained in the vessel that had created the state of uncleanness, and that had to be purified first so as not to contaminate the outside with some of the unclean liquid. Of course we cannot be certain that this is the meaning, but this is the context in which Moroni’s reference makes the greatest sense.

Alma 60:24

24 And now, except ye do repent of that which ye have done, and begin to be up and doing, and send forth food and men unto us, and also unto Helaman, that he may support those parts of our country which he has regained, and that we may also recover the remainder of our possessions in these parts, behold it will be expedient that we contend no more with the Lamanites until we have first cleansed our inward vessel, yea, even the great head of our government.

Alma 60:25

25 And except ye grant mine epistle, and come out and show unto me a true spirit of freedom, and strive to strengthen and fortify our armies, and grant unto them food for their support, behold I will leave a part of my freemen to maintain this part of our land, and I will leave the strength and the blessings of God upon them, that none other power can operate against them—

Mormon has been given the right to execute traitors. He has made explicit his accusation that Pahoran is traitorous, and now makes explicit the implicit threat to “clean the inward vessel.” Moroni’s mention of his “freemen” is not a random word, but one that is very specifically chosen. He has accused Pahoran of becoming one of the kingmen, and Moroni is not using the result of the earlier kingmen/freemen conflict as the model for the action he is threatening to take. Normally, a move against ones ruler would be treasonous, but Moroni suggests that he is the loyalist and that it is Pahoran who had departed from the Nephite ideals.

Alma 60:26

26 And this because of their exceeding faith, and their patience in their tribulations—

Alma 60:27

27 And I will come unto you, and if there be any among you that has a desire for freedom, yea, if there be even a spark of freedom remaining, behold I will stir up insurrections among you, even until those who have desires to usurp power and authority shall become extinct.

Alma 60:28

28 Yea, behold I do not fear your power nor your authority, but it is my God whom I fear; and it is according to his commandments that I do take my sword to defend the cause of my country, and it is because of your iniquity that we have suffered so much loss.

In verse 27 Moroni notes that he will stir up any with a “spark of freedom remaining.” This is further indication that Moroni considers this a renewal of the kingmen/freemen issue, and that it is Pahoran who now shows himself to be a kingman by his actions.

In verse 28 Moroni does recognize the problem of overthrow of one’s leader. He indicates that he is unafraid of the Pahoran’s power and authority. While Pahoran is the rightful leader, his right remains only as long as he is faithful to the principles of the Nephite religion. If he violates them, as Moroni accuses him of doing, then he has abdicated those rights and authorities.

Alma 60:29

29 Behold it is time, yea, the time is now at hand, that except ye do bestir yourselves in the defence of your country and your little ones, the sword of justice doth hang over you; yea, and it shall fall upon you and visit you even to your utter destruction.

Redaction: This is a repetition of the ultimatum. This epistle is characterized by the number of times that Moroni repeats his essential message. He could have cut the letter in half and still have said the same thing. The second half of his letter essentially repeats the information for the first half. This suggests the form of a letter written in passion rather than a formal and constructed text. When we write formally, we have the opportunity to edit what we are writing, and to make sure that we push home the point effectively in the first telling. Moroni was no less effective in his earlier attempts, but he is writing this letter as it comes to mind. The frustration with the situation boils over, and his anger at the inaction of the government does not find peace after a single telling. This letter has the hallmarks of precisely that form of writing, as opposed to a more formal report. Clearly Mormon has a copy of the letter in his sources, and has included it as it.

Alma 60:30

30 Behold, I wait for assistance from you; and, except ye do administer unto our relief, behold, I come unto you, even in the land of Zarahemla, and smite you with the sword, insomuch that ye can have no more power to impede the progress of this people in the cause of our freedom.

Alma 60:31

31 For behold, the Lord will not suffer that ye shall live and wax strong in your iniquities to destroy his righteous people.

Moroni continues to point out that he is on the side of the Lord in this issue. While Moroni may be threatening his ruler, he is doing so under the righteous authority of the principles God has laid out for Nephite society.

Alma 60:32

32 Behold, can you suppose that the Lord will spare you and come out in judgment against the Lamanites, when it is the tradition of their fathers that has caused their hatred, yea, and it has been redoubled by those who have dissented from us, while your iniquity is for the cause of your love of glory and the vain things of the world?

Redaction: This is a difficult verse to parse without the understanding of the nature of Moroni’s accusation against Pahoran. The logic of Moroni’s argument may be stripped to its essential elements so we can better understand the problem:

Can you suppose the Lord will spare you/ when it is the Lamanite way that has caused this trouble?

Both of these phrases distills the essential information, but the contrast of the two is highlighted because we can readily see that the second phrase is somehow supposed to show Pahoran the error of his ways. How is it that the tradition of the Lamanites will mean that Pahoran cannot be saved by the Lord?

The only possible answer is that Moroni is accusing Pahoran of imitating the Lamanite way. With this accusation as a base, this verse makes sense. Pahoran cannot hope of deliverance by the Lord, while he is imitating the Lamanites, because it is precisely those Lamanite traditions that have caused this conflict.

Alma 60:33

33 Ye know that ye do transgress the laws of God, and ye do know that ye do trample them under your feet. Behold, the Lord saith unto me: If those whom ye have appointed your governors do not repent of their sins and iniquities, ye shall go up to battle against them.

Pahoran transgresses the laws of God that require him to hold to the egalitarian ideal, and therefore to provision his armies instead of ignoring them so that the Lamanites might take over. Moroni continues to suggest that withholding the supplies and reinforcements is simply a symptom of a much greater sin, that of accepting the Lamanite worldview for kings and other elite.

Alma 60:34

34 And now behold, I, Moroni, am constrained, according to the covenant which I have made to keep the commandments of my God; therefore I would that ye should adhere to the word of God, and send speedily unto me of your provisions and of your men, and also to Helaman.

Alma 60:35

35 And behold, if ye will not do this I come unto you speedily; for behold, God will not suffer that we should perish with hunger; therefore he will give unto us of your food, even if it must be by the sword. Now see that ye fulfil the word of God.

Alma 60:36

36 Behold, I am Moroni, your chief captain. I seek not for power, but to pull it down. I seek not for honor of the world, but for the glory of my God, and the freedom and welfare of my country. And thus I close mine epistle.

Moroni repeats his threat. He will come upon the government to bring it down if they do not fulfill their rightful obligations. He will be justified in doing this because he follows the commands of God. While others might try to bring down the leader so that they might accept power (as we saw Amalickiah do), Moroni has no desire for power, only to “pull it down.” Of course his definition of power in this case is an unrighteous power.

Textual: The ending of this inserted epistle signals the end of a chapter. The next chapter will begin with Pahoran’s reply. Since there is another inserted text, and a change of writers, Mormon changes chapters.

[i] Michael Wise, Martin Abegg, Jr, and Edward Cook. The Dead Sea Scrolls. A New Translation. Harper San Franciso, 1996, p. 281. Reynolds and Sjodahl suggest that the vessel is related to a verse in Isaiah:

Isaiah 52:11 ¶ Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. (George Reynolds and Janne M. Sjodahl, Commentary on the Book of Mormon, edited and arranged by Philip C. Reynolds, 7 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1955-1961], 5: 164.)

This verse does provide the connection between the words “clean” and “vessels” but it has no application to the use Moroni makes of the verse he is citing. The Isaiah text should not be considered as the underlying scripture to which Moroni refers.